Puppeteer Jerry Nelson, famous for lending his voice to Muppets on “Sesame Street,” “The Muppet Show” and “Fraggle Rock,” died Thursday, according to People. He was 78.

The cast and crew of “Sesame Street,” and the staff of Sesame Workshop, released the following statement in memoriam: “A member of the ‘Sesame Street’ family for more than 40 years, [Nelson] will forever be in our hearts and remembered for the artistry in his puppetry, his music, and the laughter he brought to children worldwide…”

Nelson is, perhaps, best recognized as the voice of Count von Count, a friendly vampire with an unmistakable laugh and an affinity for numbers:

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My mom swears l could read at 2 years old thanks to Sesame Street. If l ever have kids they will watch it as well. I'm 37 now and l can still remember watching Sesame Street as a child in the 70's. RIP The Count! Thanks for making me so smart! Don't know what l would've done without ya!

When I was bout 8 for Christmas Santa brought me a hand puppet of the count
When ever Sesame Street came on I would put it on my hand and renact the Count, I'd talk like him and do his laugh!
To this day, I have a 7 and a 10 yr old and My Mom kept it in my room for them to have.
They love it!
R.I.P Count, I will miss you dearly! and Thanks for making counting so much fun

miss piggy is most fun and i love her wardrobe you have to be careful when she has a couple of glasses of vino..

i admit i was counting during the course of the yesterday and it was funny.

I do feel bad the count passed. i also watched sesame street as a child. ...van toooo treeee fawwww..i applied for a job there many years ago. if i had gotton that job, it probably would have been alot of fun.

Although I only got glimpses of the muppets during my childhood, they had an impact on my life. Ms. Piggy and the count were two characters I would do a search on when we first got internet in our house. I've always copied the count's laughter when ever I needed to frustrate my parents into giving me something I wanted😦

When you think at how many kids & adults have watched & enjoyed Sesame Street over the last 40 years, kind of makes you appreciate the show even more. I liked the Count, too. May you rest in peace, sir.

Count was my favorite character of all time!! I watched him soo much I developed a laugh like his as a child & was nicknamed The Count for all my life. I haven't felt this heartfelt on a celebrity death since Michael Jackson. Count, you're right on up their with him. R.I.P buddy..... I REALLY hope they don't take the character off the show now. I have a godson who watches the show, and I want him to be able to know The Count & find the humor of why everyone calls me that name. Instead of just one more 20th century character these youngins have no clue about.

You were my favirite also count. I remember as a child in the 70's counting and immitating him. The count was one of the caractors mostly immitated by children. So sad we are losing our generations best entertainers seems like a daily basis. Which reminds us to spend more quality time with our own elder families. You never now when they will pass. You will definetly be missed. R.I.P Count. You were the MAN!

When i was 16 I had to babysit my 4 yr old sister and she counted like that! Well thanks Count Von Count sis Michelle was a great little counter (pun intended), you taught her well. R.I.P. Generations of thirsty little minds will miss you.

R.I.P. Count, soooo many memories, first of myself doing the "Count Voice" whenever ANYTHING had to be counted when i was a kid, and secondly when my daughter was growing up, she would imitate him as well. Loved going to the grocery store and we would count out "One can of green beans Ahh Ahh Ahhh, TWO cans of green beans Ahhh ahhhh ahhhh! and get louder with each count.

Always loved the Muppets – So Sorry to hear of the passing of one more of the original puppeteers. Thanks for all the great memories of a classic educational television (and silly, fun movies) – may God be with your family in this difficult time.

I remember as if it was yesterday. That booming
laughter still rings in my ears after about 30
years since I watched the series. His was one of
the outstanding character. Good night good old
friend of little chilren.

Thank you Mr. Jerry for the good laughter & 100's of smiles you brought to me through out my childhood. You were my ultimate favorite on Sesame Street. May you rest in peace, Vaan.. Tuuu.. Treee.. Ha Ha Ha ur were awasome!

Luv the street@20 loved that crazy count. So sad. Rip you were blessed 1 1 time 2 2 times 3 3 times forever and us as well 4 having u n our lives 2 share with the young. Ha ha haaaaa forward 2012 P.B.H.O.

Carrol Spinney, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson were some of the original muppeteers that Jim put together all those many years ago. Jerry was one of the all time great puppeteers and his characters will live on forever in our collective memories. Thank you Jerry.

Loved the count he was one of coolest puppets on the show. Sesame Street, what a great show. I'm 51 now, enjoyed watching the show when I was younger and continued to watch when I had my daughter some 21 yrs ago. Loved watching the show with her when she was little. Wow Mr Nelson, I loved the others shows as well. Rest in peace and thanks for all of the great shows, characters and your neat voice.

I watched the Count while my child grew up in the nineties. It is refreshing to recount (!) the life of a man who, unlike so many fools in show business, make lives a good life, and passes away well liked and uncorrupt. Consider Prince Harry or just about all the others.

May he rest in peace. He was my favourite muppet. I'm 38, and remember well how he counted EVERYTHING! How one muppet could turn every single sentence into a counting game always mystified, but gratified me. Thanks for the good times, Count. I must be getting old. Thanks again, old friend.

RIP Mr. Jerry Nelson. You brought adventure, knowledge & downright fun to my childhood. You were my favorit & Fraggle Rock was a must see for me when I was a kid. You will be forever missed & loved. Thank you for touching my heart & my daughter's also.

My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones. I am 30 years old and just a few months ago I was having a laugh with my children when I was talking and counting like the Count. They giggled at my imitation for a good 10 minutes. Thank you Count for teaching me to count.

About a year or so ago, I was flipping channels when I saw the Count on PBS, so I stopped to watch for old times sake. Then I noticed he now speaks with an ordinary sounding American voice. WTH?! Did they feel they were being politically incorrect towards vampires or Transylvanians? RIP: RIP Mr. Nelson. Say hi to Jim for us.

I think the accent just slid. Less to do with political correctness than it has to do with trying to hold the same voice for 40 years. Plus, what you remember as being a foreign accent as a kid, having not heard many odd voices, was probably pretty mild. This is a show trying to teach kids how to speak to one another, after all.

Islam Joe-I hate to correct numerous members of your religion-which I do hold with great respect-however that was The Amazing Mumford and the correct verbetam was "Aaaaaaaa....laaaaaaaaaa" like a child would say "la, la, la, aaaa la, la,la" not "Allah"-we're talking Sesame Street here-they consulted various sects to ASSURE they never upset anyone. So 1. You were angered at the incorrect Muppet and 2. you were angered about letters forming a sound similar to the phoenetic prounouciation of God in Arabic.

He was one of my favorite puppets and he is re-joined with the greatest puppeteer of all time – Mr. Henson. Thank you Jim for bringing these adorable characters into our young lives. As for Mr. Nelson, you were the best!!! Have you finished counting the stairs to heaven? Sleep peacefully!!

My kids use to watch Sesame Street when they were youong, every so often when changing channels Sesame St will flash by, with the Count doing his counting gig.
Rest In Peace Mr. Nelson.......you've reached the final count down.

And for the laughter he brought their children's parents . . . The count's affinity for numbers often reduced him to a state of helplessness. The pathos of his being unable to stop himself from changing whatever was the subject before him into an exercise in counting always reminded me of my own pathos as a parent, often reduced to helplessness before the antics of my children. The Count would count, whereas I would run out of the room. Thank you Sesame Street.